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Estonian navy minehunter ENS Admiral Cowan has joined the biggest naval exercise in the Baltic Sea, Baltops, as part of the NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG 1).
ENS Admiral Cowan participates in Baltops exercise
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In addition to mine countermeasures operations, the vessels taking part in the exercise that started last week, conduct training in anti-submarine, anti-piracy and anti-aircraft warfare as well as other elements of maritime warfare.
The crews also have to be prepared to respond in the case of imitated attacks that can be conducted with the help of the assets involved in the exercise from the air, the sea and under the surface of the sea.
The mine countermeasures portion of the exercise in the area of Bornholm, Danish territorial waters will continue until June 18. During the exercise the SNMCMG 1 comprises nine vessels from Belgium, Estonia, Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, Poland and Germany.
Baltops, which brings together 13 nations this year, is held for the 42nd time. In addition to NATO Allies, Partner Nations Finland, Sweden and Georgia are taking part in the exercise. The vessels involved in the exercise include USS Mount Whitney, flagship of the Mediterranean of the U.S. 6th Fleet, Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Oscar Austin and Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose.
Ämari Air Force Base in Estonia provides support for P-3 Orion and a P-8 Poseidon anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft of the U.S. navy during the exercise.